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Turkey Pairings
There are many options when it comes to pairing wine with Turkey. The challenge with pairing wine with turkey is with what else you serve with the turkey.
One of the things to remember is that Turkey is not a powerful meat. It has a low fat content, which is why it dries out if not cooked carefully.
Your wine match should be a wine of low to medium tannin and a relatively high acidity and ideally be either a full-bodied white or a medium-bodied red.
A classic pairing for Turkey would a unoaked Chardonnay from either California or Burgundy, a Pinot Noir or Beaujolais. An aged Bordeaux with softer tannins or a Rioja or Barolo would definitely work well as well.
If you are looking for something to up your game, try a sparkling. Nothing says “special occasion” quite like bubbles. Choose a sparkling that is dry {Brut} instead of a sweet one such as an Asti Spumante. Three sparkling options are a Prosecco, Cava or a Champagne.
Pairing a Rose’ with turkey is another way to add a new spin to a classic turkey dinner. For a Rose’ you also want to choose a dryer rose’ such a Provencal rose.
You want to avoid high tannic wines, as they need protein to soften them. That is why a steak goes so well with those young big bold wines such as Cabernet Sauvignon. The lack of fat can accentuate the harsh feeling of tannins in the mouth making they taste bitterer.
However, you can pair a quality red wine that has some age because the tannins will soften and integrate over time.
Medium to high acidity in your wine will be able to cope better with all the flavors and complexity the sides bring such as cranberries, parsnips, stuffing etc.
You do not have to spend a lot of money to enjoy a delicious wine with your Turkey dinner. Most of these options except the aged Bordeaux will run you under 25 dollars or less.